Cable winch



Sept. 11., 1951 W, NITKEY 2,567,526

CABLE WINCH v Filed July 9, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 1l, 1951 W.NITKEY 2,567,525

' CABLE WINCH Filed July 9, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

.Y Loren MMM@ Sept. l1, 1951 l.. w. NITKEY 2,567,526

CABLE WINCH Filed July 9, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 IN VEN TOR 4 TTOR/VE YPatented Sept. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINCH Loren W.fNitkey, Dudley, Idaho appiieatnmuiy 9, maseriamo. 37,850

This invention relates to a cable'wmch yand it is one object of .theinvention to provide a winch which Ais hydraulically Vcontrolled,thusallowing a workman operating'tl1`,e"wincl'i to stand at such Adistancefrom'the winch that he will `not be liable .to be injured in case a.cable is broken or mechanism forming parts of the winch are broken .orotherwise damaged.

Another object Vof ,the invention is to provide a winch having a drum ordrums rotatably mounted upon an axlev land having associated therewithy.clutch .mechanism which is'hydraul-ially controlled vand .alsohydraulic brakes.

v Another 4object .of the invention'is to provide a winch .wherein the.clutch ,mechanisml is normally held in Aan `inoperative position bysprings .and movedv ,to an 'operative .position by hydraulic pressure,retrograde rotation of the drum ybeing prevented Yloya pawlwhich ismoved into -and out of engagement with ,a ratchet wheel on the drum byhydraulic means.

Another object of the invention `is to provide a hydraulicallycontrolled winch which is easy to control and .very eiiicient inoperation.

-With these and other objects .the invention consists of a specialconstruction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view showing a ,double drum winch partially in elevation andpartially injlongitudinal-section.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the winch.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View upon an .enlarged scale showing a portionof thev winch principally in section and partially in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing a pawl'ior preventing retrograderotation of the drums.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View of4 the control mechanism for the pawl.

Fig. 6 is a ytop plan view of `a winch having a single drum.

This improved `winch is mounted ,upon asupport which may be of anyrsuitable construction and in the present illustration consists ofchannel bars I constituting the chassis bars orv other por-tionsof theframe of a motor truck. An axle 'Y 2 extends acrossthe lframeand hasreducedend portions 3 which t into center openings 4 ,o, f heads .5.These heads are mounted in .clamps l which are split, as shown in Figure2, V.andare securedupon the bars I Ibyholts 1.andg8'.' The axle is keyed-to the heads as shown at 9 and,A the heads keyed to the clamps as shownatY ,I,!l, and when the bolts l and 8 aretightened theheads wilibe heldagainst turning in theclamnsahd the axle also prevented from havingturning movement. `A collar or ring II surrounds". the axle midway itslength and at opposite sides of this collar are drums I2 having heads I3and I4 at 'their inner and outer ends. Roller vbearings I5 mount thedrums for rotary movement about the shaft and between the collar'jI I`and inner ends of the drums are thrust bearings I; 6. The heads I4 areof greater dimensions than lthe heads I3 and each is formed with acentrally located brake chamber or pocket I] and with an annular grooveor recess It which surrounds the chamber I1 and is in concentricrelation thereto.

The drums and their loperating means are of duplicate' construction andthe operating means for the single drum I2 shown inFigure 6 Ais also ofthe same construction provided for the double drums. This single drumextends the full width o f the frame and at its ends 'has headsv I4 cor'responding to the outer heads of the'Y double drums. VTherefore theoperating and controlling means now described will be understood toapply to 'all of the drums.

,Referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that a roller bearing I9 litsabout the axle between the head f5 and the outer head of the drum andabout this bearing 'is a clutch plateZI carrying aflg 2| to which aresecured tapered plugs 22 which t'into the tapered groove or recess 18.Acap 2,3v fits loosely about the reduced inner en d `portion of the head5 between this capand the plate 2S is a thrust bearing 2:1, the cap andthe bearing `24 tting about :the roller bearing I@ as shown clearly inFigure l3. A thrust bearing 25 ,engages the inner end of the bearing 1 9and at'its inner side the bearing 2 5 has engagement with coiled springs26 carried by'a concavoconvexed plate 21 whichts into the outer endofthe chamber I'I and is secured 'to vacollar 2 8 by screws 29. kThiscollar fits about the axle and secured thereto Ybya key 3U so that it isheldstationary. The springs v2t urge the clutch plate 20 outwardly andthis 'causes the clutch to 'bernormally inoperative and the clutchvplate may turn Without the drum turning with'v it. When, however, theclutchplate ris'shifted towards the' drum the plugs 22 will :be' `forcedtightlyinto thegroove or recess I8 and the'drum will be turned with theclutch plate. vA sprocket wheel 3| is secured VVagainst the peripheraledge portion of the clutch plate byscrews tZ'and about the sprocketwheel is trained a rsprocket chain 33 which extends downwardly' and -iser1- gaged about a smaller sprocket wheel 315 carried byadrive shaft.

The head or housing 5 is formed with circumferentially spaced cylinders3B which are closed at their outer ends by a ring or annular closureplate 31 secured to the housing by screws 38 and this closure plate hasits center opening registering with the center opening 4 of 'the housingand normally closed by a disk 39 secured by screws 40 which pass throughthe disk and into threaded sockets 4I formed in the axle longitudinallythereof. Within each cylinder is a piston 42 carrying a sealing cup 43and from the piston extends a piston rod 44 which slidably passesthrough an opening 45 leading. from the inner end of the cylinder andbears against the cap 23. When the pistons are forced towards inner endsof the cylinders their rods apply pressure to the cap and the clutchplate will then be shifted towards the head I4 in opposition to actionof the springs 25 and the plugs 22 will have clutching engagement withwalls of the groove I8 to cause turning of the drum with the clutchplate. Fluid under pressure is to be admitted simultaneously to theupper ends of the cylinders and in order to do so the confronting facesof the housing and the ring or plate 31 are formed with annular recesseswhich register, as shown in Figure 3 and form an annular passage 46having communication with all of the cylinders. A port 41 formed throughthe plate 31 communicates with this annular passage and into the outerend of this port is screwed a nipple 48 to which is attached a tube 49leading from a suitable source of fluid under pressure. As long as fluidpressure is allowed from the tube or pipe the clutch will be held in itsoperative position and the drum will turn but when fluid pressurethrough the tube is released, the springs will return the clutch ring orplate to its inoperative position and rotation of the drum in adirection to wind cable thereon will cease.

In order to control the speed at which the drum rotates and bring it toa stop after the clutch has been rendered inoperative there have beenprovided brakes 5ll which are disposed within the chamber I1 and pivotedto the plate by pins 5I. These brakes are of a conventional hydraulicconstruction and include the usual cylinder 52 to which fluid underpressure is admitted through a tube 53 leading from a side extension 54at the inner end of a port 55 formed longitudinally of the axle andleading from the end thereof. A nipple 56 which is screwed into theouter end of the port 55 passes through an opening 51 in the plate 39and to this nipple is attached a tube 58 leading from a conventionalbrake applying pump and it will be readily understood that when pressureis applied to the fluid the brakes will be actuated and their shoesbrought into gripping engagement with the annular wall of the charnberI1 to stop rotation of the drum.

It is desired to permit the drum to be positively held against rotationin a retrograde rotation after a cable has been wound thereon as much asdesired and in order to do so there has been provided a ratchet wheel 59carried by the head I4 and engaged by a pawl 60. The pawl is pivoted toa bracket 6I mounted upon the frame and to the pawl is pivotallyconnected the outer end of the rod 62 of a piston 63 which is slidablelongitudinally in a cylinder 64. This cylinder is mounted over thebracket carrying the pawl and to its opposite ends are connected pipesor tubes 65 and 66 leading to opposite ends of a cylinder 61. A piston68 is slidable longitudinally in the cylinder G1 with its rod 69projecting from one end thereof and attached to a lever 10, and from aninspection of Figure 5 it will be seen that when an attendant moves thelever in a direction to shift piston 68 forwardly fluid will be forcedthrough the tube 66 and the pawl moved into engagement with the ratchetwheel 59 Whereas when the lever is moved in an opposite direction andshifts the piston rearwardly in the cylinder 61 the fluid will be forcedthrough the tube 65 and the pawl will be moved to its inoperativeposition.

I have therefore perfected an improved Winch in which its drum or drumsrotate about a stationary shaft and in which rotation of the drum ordrums is controlled by hydraulic mechanism adapted to be operated by anattendant standing at sufficient distance from the winch to eliminatedanger of injury to the attendant.

Having thus described the invention, what 1s claimed is:

1. In a cable winch, a, stationary shaft, housings into which ends ofsaid shaft t, means for mounting said housings upon a support, a drumrotatable about said shaft and having heads at its ends, one headconstituting a clutch member and being formed with a chamberconstituting a brake chamber, an adjustable clutch member adapted tohave rotary motion imparted to it and being shiftable along the shaftinto and out of an operative position for clutching engagement with theclutch member of the drum, a fluid operated brake in said brake chamber,means for delivering fluid under pressure to the brake structureincluding a passage formed in the shaft and a tube extending from saidpassage outwardly from the shaft to the brake, spring means yieldablyholding the adjustable clutch in an inoperative position, fluid operatedmeans carried by one housing for moving the adjustable clutch to itsoperative position, a ratchet wheel carried by said drum, a pawl forengaging said ratchet wheel and preventing retrograde rotation of thedrum, and fluid operated 'means for moving the pawl into and out ofoperative engagement with the ratchet wheel.

2. In a cable winch, a stationary shaft, housings into which ends ofsaid shaft t, means for mounting said housings upon a support, a drumrotatable about said shaft and having heads at its ends, one headconstituting a clutch member and being formed with a chamberconstituting a brake chamber, an adjustable clutch member adapted tohave rotary motion imparted to it and being shiftable along the shaftinto and out of an operative position for clutching engagement with theclutch member of the drum, a fluid operated brake in said brake chamber,means for delivering uid under pressure to the brake structure, onehousing having cylinders therein and a fluid inlet passage communicatingwith all of its cylinders, pistons in said cylinders having stemsprojecting from the cylinders and bearing against the movable clutch,and spring means urging the movable clutch member towards an inoperativeposition.

3. In a cable winch, a stationary shaft, housings into which ends ofsaid shaft nt, means for mounting said housings upon a support, a drumrotatable about said shaft and having heads at its ends, one headconstituting a clutch member and being formed with a chamberconstituting a brake chamber, an adjustable clutch member adapted tohave rotary motion imparted to it and being shiftable along the shaftinto and out of an operative position for clutching engagement with theclutch member of the drum, a fluid operated brake in said brake chamber,

one housing having cylinders therein extending longitudinally of theshaft and means for delivering iiuid under pressure to the cylinders,pistons in said cylinders having rods projecting from the inner ends ofthe cylinders and engaging the movable clutch member for simultaneaously imparting pressure to the said movable clutch member atcircumferentially spaced points and forcing the movable clutch memberinto gripping engagement with the clutch member `of the drum, and springmeans urging the movable clutch member towards an inoperative position.

4. In a cable winch, a stationary shaft, housings into which ends ofsaid shaft t, means for mounting said housings upon a support, a drumrotatable about said shaft and having heads at its ends, one headconstituting a clutch member and being formed with a chamberconstituting a brake chamber, an adjustable clutch member adapted tohave rotary motion imparted to it 20 and being shiftable along the shaftinto and out of an operative position for clutching engagement with theclutch member of the drum, a fluid operated brake in said brake chamber,means for delivering fluid under pressure to the brake, a disk in thebrake chamber carrying the brake, a bearing for the movable clutchmember, springs between the disk and the bearing urging the movableclutch member towards an inoperative position, pistons slidablelongitudinally in cylinders formed in the adjoining housing andREFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name n Date 892,907 Snow July 7, 19081,612,238 Turney Dec. 28, 1926 2,042,762 Berby June 2, 1936 2,405,156McIntyre Aug. 6, 1946 25 2,447,280 Rowe Aug. 17, 1948

